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Book
Museum, Magic, Memory: Curating Paul Denys Montague
An investigation of the work of curation and of reactivating a colonial era collection by working with communities of origin, told through the lens of a particular collection made by Paul Montague in New Caledonia in 1914.Adams, Julie
Curation, Museum, and Anthropology
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Book
Repurposing Ritual. Pap. Berlin P. 10480-82: A Case Study from Middle Kingdom Asyut
Repurposing Ritual is the editio princeps of a group of papyrus fragments from ancient Asyut in Middle Egypt currently kept in the Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung in Berlin. The papyri are significant for the study of ancient Egyptian religious and funerary culture because they contain in a neat hieratic handwriting...Regulski, Ilona
Egyptology, text transmission, mortuary ritual, and written culture
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Book
Abydos: The Sacred Land of the Western Horizon. Proceedings of the Annual Egyptological Colloquium at the British Museum ‘Abydos: the sacred land at the western horizon
This volume is the first of two complementary volumes that explore Abydos through the lenses of the latest archaeological, archival and collections research, building upon a colloquium and workshop held at the British Museum in 2015. A second volume (Abydos in the First Millennium AD, BMPES 9) presents a focussed...Regulski, Ilona
Archaeology, Egypt, and Abydos
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Book
Nero: the man behind the myth
One of the best known figures from Roman history, Nero (r. AD 54–68) is most often characterised as a tyrannical and ineffectual ruler, who fiddled while Rome burnt. Such a reputation has, however, been shaped by ancient literary sources written by his adversaries and enemies and, in light of new...Opper, Thorsten
Nero, Roman empire, and history
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Book
Peru: a journey in time
The accompanying catalogue to the British Museum exhibition Peru: a journey in time. The environments of the Central Andean region in Peru, South America, are some of the most geographically rich and diverse in the world. This publication highlights the history, beliefs and cultural achievements of the different peoples who...Cooper, Jago ; Pardo, Cecilia
archaeology, Peru, and material culture
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Book
Catalogue of Punic Stelae in the British Museum
This catalogue discusses some aspects of Carthaginian or 'Punic' culture as shown by the inscribed and carved stones, or stelae, in the British Museum's collections. The majority of the North African, mainly Tunisian, stelae have votive or dedicatory inscriptions in Punic and some of them are thought to come from...Mendleson, Carole
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Journal article
The British Museum and the State Hermitage Museum: collaboration, exhibitions, research
Explores the long history of collaboration between these two museums through exhibitions, conferences, research, scientific exchanges and archaeological excavations over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries, and shows how museums exercise soft power and maintain dialogues even in challenging political timesSimpson, St John
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Journal article
The art of gardens: an introduction
This volume argues that looking at gardens through the lens of art and aesthetics generates new insights into the role that gardens have for those who make and depend on them. Drawing on some of the debates around the anthropology of art, we suggest that aesthetics provides a rich analytical...Bolton, Lissant ; Mitchell, Jean
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Journal article
An old problem in a new light: elemental and lead isotopic analysis of Luristan Bronzes
The emergence and provenance of the Luristan Bronzes has been a subject of interest for many decades. This paper presents the results of elemental and lead isotopic analysis of a series of Luristan Bronzes discovered from recent excavations in the Sangtarashan sanctuary, as well as an extensive comparative study on... -
Journal article
Heavy metal and the beauty industry: an unexpected connection from ancient Afghanistan
Explores the relationship between facial whiteners, cosmetic containers and by-products of the metal industry by reference to archaeological finds from Afghanistan and objects seized by UK law enforcement and now in the National Museum of AfghanistanSimpson, St John
Afghanistan, cosmetic, and Bronze Age
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Journal article
A corroboree for the Countess of Kintore: enlivening histories through objects
This paper discusses a corroboree performed in Darwin in 1893 to illustrate the potential of British ethnographic collections for researching overlooked historical events. The performance was brought to light after a collection of Aboriginal artefacts used in it was noted and examined by the author in the collections of Marischal...Sculthorpe, Gaye
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Journal article
Peasants, produce and tractors: farming scenes on Communist banknotes
Communist regimes in the twentieth century deployed a common visual language through banknote imagery, forging new narratives framed within the context of shared political and economic goals. In particular, farming imagery came to dominate banknote design. All communist regimes pursued extensive agricultural reform, from the ownership of land to the...Hockenhull, Tom
communism, currency, and agriculture
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Journal article
Tantra: Enlightenment to Revolution
A scholarly overview of the British Museum's 2020 exhibition, Tantra: enlightenment to revolution.Ramos, Imma
British Museum, Tantra, and exhibition
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Journal article
Putting the pieces back together: Rembrandt's Lamentation drawing under the microscope
A thorough examination of Rembrandt’s early drawing of the Lamentation at the Foot of the Cross in the British Museum (Benesch 154; registration number Oo,9.103) using magnification (x10), transmitted light, infrared imaging and Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), in order to conclusively establish the construction of the paper and the different...Horbatsch, Olenka ; Snow, Rebecca ; Taylor, Samantha
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Journal article
Some weapons to take away: the spread of decorated projectile points across Magdalenian societies
This paper presents a consideration on the spread of decorated weapon tips across Magdalenian societies. Based on a comprehensive review of the ten types of decorations identified on weapon tips from south-western France, the comparative analysis of their distribution shows their value to document both short and long distances relationships,...Lucas, Claire
Weapon, Magdalenian, and Portable art
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Journal article
Technical steps towards enhanced localization of proteins in cultural heritage samples by immunofluorescence microscopy and micro-reflectance imaging spectroscopy
This study presents the results obtained during the optimization phase of a protocol based on immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM) with the aim to characterize and localize proteins in fluid-rich samples of cultural heritage interest. Chicken serum albumin from chicken blood was considered the primary target. Ovalbumin from chicken egg albumen (egg... -
Journal article
The haunting of Assyria: a chilling new detail from the Sack of Nimrud
Discusses a previously unrecognised ancient graffito on an Assyrian sculptureSimpson, St John
iconoclasm, graffiti, and Assyria
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Journal article
Revealing relationships: colonial photograph albums of the Niger Delta at the British Museum: a case study
The focus of this paper is a collection of photographs currently housed in the British Museum. Two albums (British Museum reference numbers Af,A46 and Af,A47) are identified as belonging to Arthur Purt, thought to be a European trader in the Niger Delta in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries....Anderson, Helen
Nigeria, Photographs, and Colonial
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Journal article
Шкатулки бронзового века: экзотические импорты,подражания-скевоморфы и локальное производствоот Центральной Азии до Шумера
Discusses archaeological finds of inlaid boxes at Bronze Age sites in Iraq, shows how some originated in the Indus Valley and how other types of box were carved from stone or made from fired clay in Arabia, Iran and Central Asia, probably as imitations of ones in organic materials that...Simpson, St John
box, Ancient Near East, and Bronze Age
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Journal article
Assyrian palaces: from their foundation to their destruction in antiquity
The more recent synthesis in English to explore all aspects of Assyrian palaces and their decorationSimpson, St John
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Journal article
The Great Wave: how to identify reproductions
Korenberg, Capucine
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Journal article
A new Sumerian copper figurine from Badtibira
This short article presents a new copper figurine of a bearded hero (temple guardian) discovered at the Sumerian site of Badtibira in 2017 dating to the beginning of the Early Dynastic period (c. 2700-2600 BC). The piece was found broken during our visit to the site with archaeologists of SBAH...Rey, Sebastien ; Skwiercz, Joanna ; Girotto, Elisa ; Vardy, Faith ; Tagen, Dani
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Journal article
Forgeries of Hellenistic bronze coins of Ithaca
This article examines the stylistic and metal composition differences between two variants of the bronze Odysseus/Cock type from Ithaca. It posits that Variant 2 is a forgery, which must have been produced after the Hellenistic period but before the end of the 19th century. It also identifies a historic substitution...Dowler, Amelia ; Perucchetti, Laura
British Museum, copper, metal composition, Hellenistic, X-ray fluorescence, copper alloy, numismatics, tin, coins, bronze, forgery, zinc, and Ithaca
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Journal article
A coin of Augustus struck at Butrint
This article discusses a coin of Augustus struck at Butrint, found on excvations at Butrint, which possibly shows either Aeneas or Ascanius (Julius). It is appended to an article about related sculpture found at ButrintMoorhead, Sam
Coin, Aeneas, Augustus, Ascanius, Roman Provincial, Roman, and Butrint
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Journal article
The art of hunting: coordinating subsistence laws with Alaska native harvesting practices
This paper explores the socioeconomic relationships between Alaska Native harvesting practices, the laws that regulate those practices, and Alaska Native art. In the 21st century, indigenous residents of northwestern Alaska incorporate harvesting activities into their travels between small rural communities, regional centers, and larger Alaskan cities. These harvests efficiently coordinate...Lincoln, Amber
art, markets, Arctic, Inuit, and anthropology
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Journal article
Manufacturing techniques of Eastern Zhou bronze ding vessels with short legs: a case study of bronze ding (1949,0711.1) in the British Museum collection
This paper presents a detailed technical study of a Chinese bronze ding vessel with a bulging body, three short legs and a lid in the British Museum collection (1949,0711.1). It is a representative product made by the pattern-block method of the Houma foundry, the largest foundry site of the Eastern...Wang, Quanyu ; Su, Rongyu ; O'Flynn, Daniel ; Chen, Yi
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Journal article
The Beau Street Hoard - what happened next?
Interpreting over 17,000 Roman coins Since the discovery of the Beau Street Hoard in Bath in 2007, years of research have illuminated the contents of this huge collection of late 3rd-century Roman coins, revealing new clues to why it might have been buried.Ghey, Eleanor
archaeology, numismatics, and Roman
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Journal article
A conversation with Roger Keyes
Impressions asked Timothy Clark, newly retired Head of the Japanese Section, Asia Department at the British Museum, to ask Roger Keyes about his work and his recollections. They sat down together in the Asia Study Room at the British Museum on March 26, 2019.Clark, Timothy ; Keyes, Roger
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Journal article
Khirbet Ghozlan
The site of Khirbet Um al-Ghozlan sits on a steep knoll overlooking the Wadi Rayyan in north Jordan. Because it is only 0.4 ha in size, most surveys would classify the site as a hamlet or village. In this respect, Khirbet Ghozlan sits comfortably within our traditional understanding of the...Fraser, James ; Cartwright, Caroline
olive oil, olives, Jordan valley, Early Bronze Age IV, Olea europaea, and Khirbet Um al-Ghozlan
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Journal article
Insights from nondestructive geochemical analyses of Hacienda Grande (Puerto Rico) and Salt River (Virgin Islands) Saladoid and Ostionoid ceramics
After decades of archaeological excavations, legacy collections present us with vast reservoirs of untapped research potential. By studying Ceramic Age (ca. 500 bc–ad 600) Caribbean pottery from Hacienda Grande (Puerto Rico) and Salt River (St. Croix), this exploratory study devised a method for the use of nondestructive geochemical analyses (portable...Van Thienen, Vince ; Martínez Milantchí, María Mercedes
legacy collection, ceramic practice, Caribbean archaeology, cultural interaction, and geochemistry
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Journal article
A scientific study of Eastern Zhou bronze weapons with tin-rich surface decoration
In this paper we examined three bronze weapons with tin-rich surface decoration from the Eastern Zhou period: a sword (1966,0222.1) with a trellis pattern, a spearhead (1947,0712.426) with a hexagonal star pattern in the British Museum collections, and a sword (GT698) with a trellis pattern from a private collection. These...Wang, Quanyu ; Chen, Yi ; O'Flynn, Daniel
bronze weapon, tin-rich decoration, trellis pattern, and Eastern Zhou
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Journal article
Objectifying processes: The use of geometric morphometrics and multivariate analyses on Acheulean tools
Nowadays, the fruitful discussion regarding the morphological variability of handaxes during the Middle Pleistocene has reached a decisive moment with the use of more accurate statistical methods, such as geometric morphometrics (GM) and multivariate analyses (MA). This paper presents a preliminary methodological approach for checking the utility of these new...García-Medrano, Paula ; Maldonado-Garrido, Elías ; Ashton, Nick ; Ollé, Andreu
Boxgrove, Middle Pleistocene, handaxes, multivariate analyses, geometric morphometrics, Swanscombe, and Acheulean
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Journal article
The curation and display of Lindow Man
Lindow Man is one of the best-preserved Iron Age bog bodies from Europe. Since his discovery in August 1984, he has been on almost permanent display to the public and the subject of close scientific scrutiny. This article focuses on the life of Lindow Man since his discovery, charting how...Joy, Jody ; Farley, Julia
display, ethics, preservation, wetlands, museum, curation, human remains, and Bog body
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Journal article
The origins of decorated ostrich eggs in the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East
Decorated ostrich eggs were traded around the Mediterranean during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Research on their origins has focused primarily on decorative techniques and iconography to characterise the producers, workshops and trade routes, thereby equating decorative styles with cultural identities and geographic locations. This is problematic, as craftspeople were...Mediterranean; Middle East; North Africa; Bronze Age; Iron Age; stable isotopes; ostrich eggs
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Journal article
Pottery technology in the Tang dynasty (ninth century ): archaeometric analyses of a Gongyi sherd found at Siraf, Iran
In 1969–70, a single Tang dynasty blue-spotted Gongyi sherd was found at Siraf, Iran, the main trading port on the Persian Gulf in the early Islamic period. This is the only known example of Chinese blue-and-white ware, whether low- or high-fired, found in the Middle East from such an early... -
Wang, Helen
China, sinology, and numismatics
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Journal article
Bitumen from the Dead Sea in Early Iron Age Nubia
Bitumen has been identified for the first time in Egyptian occupied Nubia, from within the town of Amara West, occupied from around 1300 to 1050 BC. The bitumen can be sourced to the Dead Sea using biomarkers, evidencing a trade in this material from the eastern Mediterranean to Nubia in...Fulcher, Kate ; Stacey, Rebecca ; Spencer, Neal
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Journal article
Investigating Asian colourants in Chinese textiles from Dunhuang (7th-10th century AD) by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry – towards the creation of a mass spectra database
A broad palette of natural dyes is often mentioned with reference to dyed textiles from ancient China. However, few scientific works address the problem of correctly identifying these dyes, often referring simply to unidentified sources. The aim of this work was the creation of a database of mass spectra of...Tmaburini, Diego
HPLC-MS, Tandem mass spectra, Asian dyes, Chinese textiles, Dunhuang Silk Road
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Journal article
The WEAP method: a new age in the analysis of the Acheulean handaxes
This paper presents a unified methodology to describe critical features in lithic assemblages, in order to better interpret the Middle Pleistocene hominin occupation of western Europe, in the context of the Western European Acheulean Project (WEAP). This project aims to characterise the Acheulean technology of the western side of Europe...Middle Pleistocene; Acheulean handaxes; typology; chaîne opératoire; geometric; morphometrics
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Journal article
Ethnobotany of Hawaiian figure sculpture
Anecdotal theories about traditional uses of Polynesian woods in relation to social and religious practices were tested using comparative wood identification. The woods used to make 135 figure carvings from the Hawaiian archipelago were identified and compared with 23 figure carvings from elsewhere in Polynesia (especially Tahiti and the Marquesas)....Rudall, Paula J. ; Cartwright, Caroline
ethnobotany, Polynesia, and wood anatomy
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Journal article
Early Levallois core technology between Marine Isotope Stage 12 and 9 in Western Europe
Early Levallois core technology is usually dated in Europe to the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 9 and particularly from the beginning of MIS 8 to MIS 6. This technology is considered as one of the markers of the transition from lower to Middle Paleolithic or from Mode 2... -
Journal article
Investigating the use of Paleolithic perforated batons: new evidence from Gough’s Cave (Somerset, UK)
Perforated batons, usually made from a segment of antler and formed of a sub-cylindrical shaft and at least one perforation, have been documented across Europe from sites throughout the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic. The function of perforated batons is still debated. We present here three Magdalenian perforated batons from the... -
Journal article
The palm tree ryal of Mary Queen of Scots revisited
An investigation of the unusual design of this coin, a tortoise climbing up a palm tree.Cook, Barrie ; Archibald, Marion
palm tree, coinage, tortoise, ryal, and Mary Queen of Scots
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Journal article
Museological approaches to the management of digital research and engagement: The African Rock Art Image Project
The African Rock Art Image Project at the British Museum has documented and disseminated c. 24,000 digital images of rock art from throughout the continent, donated by the Trust for African Rock Art (TARA). The images were registered into the British Museum’s permanent collection and treated as objects in their...Anderson, Helen ; Galvin, Elizabeth ; de Torres Rodriguez, Jorge
archaeology, Museum studies, and Africa
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Journal article
Twisted handaxes in Middle Pleistocene Britain and their implications for regional-scale cultural variation and the deep history of Acheulean hominin groups
A better understood chronological framework for the Middle Pleistocene of Britain has enabled archaeologists to detect a number of temporally-restricted assemblage-types, based not on ‘culture historical’ schemes of typological progression but on independent dating methods and secure stratigraphic frameworks, especially river-terrace sequences. This includes a consistent pattern in the timing...White, Mark ; Ashton, Nick ; Bridgland, David
ovate handaxes, social networks, Middle Pleistocene, hominin settlement, and Acheulean
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Journal article
The potential of triterpenoids as chemotaxonomic tools to identify and differentiate genuine, adulterated and archaeological balsams
Plant exudates have been extensively used in the past for different applications related to their olfactory, physical or medical properties. Their identification in archaeological samples relies, notably, on the characterisation of chemotaxonomic molecular markers but is often hampered by the severe alteration of their typical genuine molecular signature due to...Courel, Blandine ; Adam, Pierre ; Schaeffer, Philippe
Styrax, Liquidambar, Myroxylon, GC/MS, 6‑oxygenated oleanolic acid, 3-epi oleanolic acid
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Journal article
From site to museum: a critical assessment of collection history on the formation and interpretation of the British Early Palaeolithic record
The British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic record makes an important contribution to understanding the early occupation of northern Europe, in particular, through the detailed, systematic and multidisciplinary excavations of key sites. However, it is the historic collections, amassed by a large number of collectors over a 100-year period from the...Harris, Claire R.E. ; Ashton, Nick ; Lewis, Simon G.
Collecting, UK, Museum, Early Palaeolithic, and Handaxes
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Journal article
Establishing the production chronology of the iconic Japanese woodblock print ‘Red Fuji’
First printed in 1831, ‘Red Fuji’ by Hokusai is one the most iconic Japanese woodblock prints and thousands of impressions were printed from its original set of woodblocks, often in different colour schemes and using different printing effects for different editions. The aim of our research was to systematically study...Korenberg, Capucine ; Derrick, Michele ; Pereira-Pardo, Lucía ; Matsuba, Ryoko